The End Is Nigh

The end is nigh, or so we are assured by US lawmaker, Michelle Bachman. Perhaps she is more on the money than we might first think.

Not in anyway she might conceive, I should add. The end will not be one great bang and it is religion heading for the wall, not humanity.

Evidence should be our primary guide, and the evidence shows a slow crumbling of religious adherence, in the western world at least. The reality is religious belief cannot sustain in the glare of knowledge. As to evidence, we are watching the many very public signs of the decaying hold of the mythology. None more dramatic than the frantic antics of the Bachmann's religious right.

There is growing evidence in Australia that following is dwindling and followers  ageing. The result of failing economic viability churches are being closed and sold, various denominations are combining in places where only one minister can be justified.

My concern in this, and I do have a concern, is for those good and decent followers who are increasingly seeing their faith base dwindle. 

I was never quite so anchored in faith, in fact despite having been a lay minister I was a total failure in regards faith and belief. Even so I know it took me many years to transition from church involvement to godless. Leaving was immediate, immediate but finding answers to the many new questions was something I was left to do on my own.

Lets be honest, religious groups are a business model and there is no profit line for those who are no longer involved. They rarely look to residual responsibility as maintaining what is slowly dying captures all the focus.

I will continue to badger the Bachmanns of the world, the entitled Romans who spread their malignancy, those cults and sects which entrap and abuse. Yes, abuse, a word solidly fixed in the mind now with religion.

What I would argue is that godless of goodwill should, must be there, ready to help those who are left floundering as the inedible decay of religious establishments progresses. I'm not entirely sure how to do that, except to suspend judgement and at least be available to discuss and share a tortuous journey.